Since the late 1960s, Jack White (b. 1931, American) has been recognized for his contributions to art and arts education. Expanding the boundaries of painting styles, White’s large canvas combines aesthetic elements of Western abstraction and African art and textiles. The work’s rhythmic geometric forms evoke both West African wax printing and the work of painters such as Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944) and Giacomo Balla (1871–1958). A self-described Abstract Impressionist, White’s mixed media abstractions strongly reflect his commitment to his African heritage. He has said, “I hesitate to put [my works] into a category; I only know that in a very special way, they connect me with my African ancestors.”
–Affinities and Outliers: Highlights from the University at Albany Fine Art Collections